Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1894) v1.djvu/50

22 O father, of long-living love was thy marriage uncherished, uncherished:

Thou hast won not the goal of old age with the love of thy youth at thy side;

For, or ever she won to the fulness of days, she hath perished, hath perished;

And the home is a wreck and a ruin, for thou, O my mother, hast died!

Admetus, this mischance thou needs must bear.

Not first of mortals thou, nor shalt be last

To lose a noble wife; and, be thou sure,

From us, from all, this debt is due—to die.

I know it: nowise unforeseen this ill

Hath swooped upon me: long I grieved to know it.

But—for to burial must I bear my dead—

Stay ye, and, tarrying, echo back my wail

To that dark God whom no drink-offerings move.

And all Thessalians over whom I rule

I bid take part in mourning for this woman,

With shaven head and sable-shrouding robe.

And ye which yoke the cars four-horsed, or steeds

Of single frontlet, shear with steel their manes.

Music of flutes the city through, or lyres,

Be none, while twelve moons round their circles out:

For dearer dead, nor kinder unto me

I shall not bury: worthy of mine honour

Is she, for she alone hath died for me.